The countdown is on!
After weeks of early mornings, long training days, physical challenges, new experiences, and countless lessons, your Soldier is approaching one of the biggest moments of their Army journey: Basic Combat Training graduation at Fort Sill, Oklahoma!
And for you, the family and friends who have been encouraging them from home, this is the moment you’ve been waiting for!
You’ve written the letters. You’ve watched the calendar. You’ve wondered what they were doing each week. You’ve celebrated every phone call and probably checked your mailbox more times than you’d like to admit.
Now, it’s almost time to see your Soldier again.
Where is Fort Sill basic training?
Located near Lawton, Oklahoma, Fort Sill has been training Soldiers for generations and is home to the U.S. Army Field Artillery and Air Defense Artillery communities.
But during graduation week, your Soldier is the reason you’re here.
When you arrive, you’ll be surrounded by families from across the country who have traveled to Oklahoma for the same reason, to celebrate someone they love who accepted the challenge of becoming a United States Army Soldier.
Take it all in. This is a special trip!
What’s the weather like?
One thing to remember about the weather in Oklahoma is that you can experience all 4 seasons in one day. If your Soldier is lucky enough to graduate in the spring or fall, you will have mild temperatures around 80F. But be prepared for the wind. “Ooooooklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plains.”
If your Soldier will graduate in the summer months (May through late September), bring your sunscreen because the temperature can exceed 100F.
If you’ll be coming to Fort Sill in the winter, dress warm! The temperature can get down into the 20’s, though they do not get much snow.
What airport is closest to Fort Sill?
When flying in for the Fort Sill graduation, you have two airports to choose from:
- Lawton-Fort Sill Regional Airport (LAW) – 10 minutes from Bentley Gate on Sheridan Road. This gate is known more commonly as just the Sheridan Gate.
- Will Rogers World Airport (OKC) – located in Oklahoma City.
Consider the options when planning your flight to Fort Sill. While the Lawton-Ft. Sill Regional Airport is much closer, flying into that airport tends to be more expensive and only services to and from the Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport. This may add an extra stop to your itinerary.
If you are flying into Oklahoma City, Will Rogers World Airport, you will need to make transportation arrangements to drive to Fort Sill. There are lots of car rental companies located at the airport.
What hotels are near Fort Sill?
Lawton is the neighboring town that has approximately 31 hotels to choose from, but don’t delay booking your room as the hotels tend to fill up fast. It is very possible that there can be more than one Army Basic Training graduation happening the same day.
Any hotel you choose in Lawton will be within 20 minutes of Fort Sill (if you hit every red light).
Fort Sill Graduation Visitor Pass
If you are staying off base at a local hotel when visiting your Soldier’s Basic Training Graduation, you will need to access Fort Sill through Key Gate, located off Interstate 44.
To get access to Fort Sill, you will need to register for a Visitor pass. Please visit the following link to register for your visitor pass.
https://pass.aie.army.mil/steps/branch_selection
All visitors over the age of 18 are required to obtain a visitor’s pass.
Fort Sill Graduation Family Day
For many families, Family Day is the moment everything becomes real.
After weeks apart, you finally get to see your Soldier again.
And don’t be surprised if they look a little different!
They may stand taller. They may carry themselves differently. They may seem more confident and disciplined. You might even notice a new vocabulary filled with Army terms you’ve never heard before.
Behind those changes are weeks of training designed to transform civilians into Soldiers.
They’ve learned Army Values, physical fitness, teamwork, discipline, weapons handling, tactical skills, first aid, land navigation, and how to operate as part of a team.
Family Day gives you the opportunity to reconnect and hear some of those stories firsthand.
And yes, there will probably be a lot of hugs.
One of the most important things to remember is that your Soldier is still in training.
Even during Family Day, they may have specific rules governing where they can go, what they can wear, how far they can travel, what time they must return, and what activities are authorized.
Help them enjoy their time with you without putting them in the uncomfortable position of choosing between family plans and their unit’s instructions.
Ask your Soldier what they are authorized to do, and then build your plans around those rules.
Sometimes the best Family Day isn’t complicated at all.
A good meal, a comfortable place to sit, a phone charger, their favorite snack, and several uninterrupted hours with the people they love. After weeks of Basic Training, that may sound pretty incredible to your Soldier. Most importantly, just enjoy the day together. Remeber, they will have a time to be back to the barracks on Family Day. It can get very busy trying to get back on base, please plan ahead.
Fort Sill Graduation
Graduations are held at the Cache Creek Chapel Complex, unless otherwise stated. This will be in the Graduation Packet, so hang tight to that when you get it. We recommend showing up about 30 minutes before the graduation to get a good seat.
Your new Soldier will be in full military-mode, so keep in mind that they won’t be able to socialize with you before or during the ceremony.
After the entrance of the Soldiers, they will recite the Soldiers Creed, acknowledge the distinguished guest, recite the Pledge of Allegiance, and sing the Army Song, “The Army Goes Rolling Along”.
Now the exciting part, this is where each Soldier will call out their name and hometown as they walk across the stage. The Battery Commander will then speak to you and your Soldier. After this, the Soldiers will exit the ceremony.
Take the Pictures
Seriously.
Take the pictures!
Take the family photo. Take the picture in front of the Fort Sill sign. Take pictures with their battle buddies.
Take the proud-parent picture, the sibling picture, the grandparent picture, and the awkward group picture where someone inevitably isn’t looking at the camera.
Years from now, these photographs will mean even more than they do today.
Your Soldier will move on to the next chapter of their Army journey, but there is only one Basic Training graduation.
Capture it!
After Graduation
Your Soldier will receive instructions on their next steps. Normally, your Soldier will depart for their Advanced Individual Training (AIT) the afternoon after graduation. If they are staying at Fort Sill for their AIT, they will report to the other side of the post to begin their next phase of training.
Fort Sill Graduation Live Stream
Fort Sill has you covered! Please do not click on any links that ask you to pay to livestrem the graduation. The ceremony will be livestreamed on YouTube for free. You can watch the the ceremony from the U.S. Army Fort Sill YouTube Channel.
Give Yourself Extra Time
Graduation week can bring a significant number of visitors onto the installation.
Plan to arrive early.
Give yourself extra time for traffic, parking, security procedures, and finding the ceremony location. The last thing you want after traveling hundreds, or even thousands, of miles is to feel rushed trying to make the ceremony.
Comfortable shoes are also a good idea. You may do more walking than expected, and Oklahoma weather can change quickly, so check the forecast before you leave.
You Were Part of This Journey, Too
Your Soldier completed the training, but they didn’t make this journey alone.
Every encouraging letter mattered! Every phone call mattered! Every person back home reminding them that someone believed in them mattered! Families are an incredibly important part of a Soldier’s support system, especially during the transition into military life. So when graduation day arrives, allow yourself to feel proud.
Your Soldier did it!
From that first goodbye to those long weeks apart, you supported them as they took on one of the biggest challenges of their young Army career.
Now comes the fun part! Pack your bags, charge your phone, clear some space on your camera roll, and maybe take some tissues!
Because somewhere at Fort Sill, a Soldier who has spent weeks training is getting closer to the moment when they can finally look into the crowd and see the people they’ve been waiting to see.
We’ll see you at graduation!
And when that formation steps onto the field, cheer loudly.
Your Soldier earned this moment.
